Reciting Latin Verse

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Reciting Latin Verse

One of the great difficulties in teaching ancient languages like Latin is the general lack of a spoken component. Whereas modern language students can reinforce the grammatical material they learn in a book through oral drills and conversational practice, students of Latin are faced with the prospect of studying a complex, inflected language entirely through the written word. While students still manage to learn the grammar and vocabulary, they often lack an appreciation for Latin as a living, breathing means of communication. A sensitivity to the oral aspect of the language not only reinforces material learned through traditional means, but also opens a window into the sublime quality of Latin which can serve as motivation for further study.

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...n the last week of class, the entire process comes to fruition as each student in turn brings the dulcet tones of Virgil to life two millennia after they were composed. The individual recitations are a learning experience for the whole class, because each performance reflects a unique interpretation of the poem and demonstrates how even a classical language can be personalized by a modern reader.

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